Wendell Passoa

• Owned & operated catering & event management company
• Coordinated  the content, quality and presentation of menus, physical environment, & overall theme so as to meet client expectations and budget (done jointly with the Chef's team)
• Assisted in weekly event meetings with the executive chef's team and hosting and administering staff meetings to address ongoing training needs, policy updates, and company news
• Generated sales by identifying and developing partnerships with both internal and external corporate and community organizations designed to provide sources of revenue and high image building event opportunities
• Coordinated customer requests through the development & preparation of the BEO for the kitchen staff and completion of billing forms as necessary to support the administrative assistant
•  Hired, terminated, trained, & developed catering event captains and all on-call service staff 
• Generated and utilized all available food cost and payroll reports to ensure the achievement of monthly performance goals
• Major clients include Capital One (various branches & depts at Richmond OPS center), Owens & Minor, Comcast Cable, State Farm, Fire-X Corporation, 2002 VA Governor's Inaugural Ball, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens (out-sourced by Bull & Bear Club F&B operation)

* Full-time & then part-time til 2006 when I officially closed doors to operation (see listing near end of resume on right-hand side column)

* Continuing today as Independent Contractor, catering & event planning by request only  2007 - 2010

• Coordinated the banquet room's physical hard set-up, the F&B table setting, servicing of the function, and the breakdown of (often working along side with staff - a hands-on manager)
• No banquet manager position existed at club while employed there full-time & part-time
• Met with event contact prior to event reviewing the banquet event order for any changes, issues and/or problems to ensure delivery of a quality product and then initiating those changes & addressing any concerns
• Walked through club banquet facilities inspecting for cleanliness, neat linen, attractive tables, polished equipment, proper room set-up etc. and following up with staff members not meeting the club's expectations with coaching & counseling
• Established, prepared, & implemented banquet guides, manuals, & checklists improving "front-of-house" ambiance to include table sets, service, mood/theme - setting the standards
• Defined performance requirements and developed action plans for achievement of those standards and goals 
• Responsible for interviewing, recommending hire & termination of banquet staff
• Training, developed, and constantly evaluated performance of all banquet staff in the execution of room sets and the finer points of upscale service in accordance with the club standards - illustrating the proper techniques and etiquette for American, French, Family, Military, buffet, types of service
• Prepare banquet checks with all back-up for collection at the end of functions
• Assisted clubhouse manager/ F&B manager in weekly event meetings with executive chef team and hosted and administered banquet staff meetings to address on-going training needs, policy updates, and club news 
• Teamed up with Dining Room Maitre' D to help with member dining (buffet or la carte) family nights 
• Club's special event's creative designer & decorator - F&B, banquets

 *  Full-time from 10/97 - 1/99; Part-time 2001 - 2005; Independent Contractor status 2005 - 2008

• Detailed incoming F&B correspondence from initial inquiry and proposal to finalizing all admin & payment facets -- acting as catering detailer/ & sales manager
• Oversaw & managed the day-to-day banquet/ catering needs (set-up, service, & breakdown) for various corporations, colleges, businesses -- company specializes in cafeteria management & distinct catering
• Very hands-on management style
• Met with clients to develop appropriate budgets and comprehensive proposals that meet their specific needs
• Trained, evaluated, & scheduled service colleagues in accordance with the standards of the company policies and guidelines
• Company's creative events consultant, designer, & decorator -- being constantly aware of current lifestyle and food trends
• Major clients included Anheuser-Busch, Surry Nuclear Power Plant, Thomas Nelson Community College, Canon, Nextel, Tele-Tech

 *Full-time from 8/05-10/06; Part-time from 10/06-12/07; Independent Contractor status 2008

 FROM

Banquet Manager, HI Hampton Hotel & Conference Center, Hampton, VA Sept 2004 - July 2005

• Recruited to stabilize department and implement a higher standard of service & professionalism 
• Oversaw all facets of set-up, service, & breakdown of events
• Hired, trained, terminated staff
• Established & implemented new SOPs to position hotel’s banquet department at the higher end of the event spectrum
• Purchased & maintained BQT supplies
• Controlled & brought down labor costs in line with actual revenues, maintained monthly budget expenditures
• Provided the leadership, vision, and direction to bring together and prioritize the departmental goals in a way that is efficient and effective
• Acted as MOD in monthly rotation schedule as well as the Lobby Ambassador program

* The GM at Holiday Inn Hampton Hotel & Conf Center, left hotel, became President of Operations HMS

* He asked me to join his team, left hotel

… AT THE SAME TIME, held these secondary jobs & positions -- concurrently – mostly asked to help rebuild departments & properties – to name a few …

Food & Beverage Manager&Events Coordinator, The Landing At Fort Harrison, Terre Haute, IN11/08-05/09

• Opened new property; main focus on restaurant & banquet daily operations as well as overseeing kitchen staff – working manager
• Negotiated vendor agreements & contracts
• Developed catering & dining menus and packages
• Met with clients to coordinate food and services
• Recruited and trained staffin the skilled art of causal and fine dining
• Maintained daily reservation / log book

*Hired by the initial nine investor/owners; by my fifth month, four additional investors became owners and decided to enhance the resortwith an ethnic flare and process started by letting the GM, Chef, and myself go – at ending of 6-month of employment

Banquet Manager, Renaissance Boca Raton, Boca Raton, FL  Winter (starting 2/04) 

• Recruited by the local corporate company, Trident Hosp. Mgmt, to continue to raise level of service and professionalism to 4-diamond levels (a boutique hotel) & establish overall consistency in the department
• stayed in the Ft. Lauderdale Marriott North and in Spring 04 continued to do same for that hotel

*  Hotels have sense been sold to TPG (Procaccianti)

Banquet Manager, Doubletree Hotel & Convention Center, Charlottesville, VA04/03 - 10/03

• Recruited to manage and direct the banquet department (including captains, servers, bartenders and housepersons), coached and counseled to resolve problems, disciplined and terminated as appropriate, provided a regular forum for improving open communication within the department and with other departments, recommended and conducted performance reviews, conducted regular departmental meetings, redefined SOPs & performance requirements and developed action plans for achievement of goals 
• Provided the leadership, vision, and direction to bring together and prioritize the departmental goals in a way that is efficient and effective

Banquets, Acting Captain, Willow Oaks Country Club, Richmond, VA10/01 to 11/02

• Responsible for maintaining a consistently smooth running operation as the "go-to" person for the clubhouse manager & dining room manager 

Interim Assistant F&B Manager, Richmond Hotel & Conf Center, Richmond, VAWinter '99

•  Hotel up for sale, offers in works to buy property

Interim Director of Catering, Richmond Hotel & Conference Center, Richmond, VASpring ‘99

•  Hotel sold, closing for major renovations 

Banquet Manager, Richmond Airport Hilton, Sandston, VA10/97 to 2/98 & picks up under primary jobs

• Managed the daily operations of the banquet department - directed the staff and the execution of events from set up to break down ensuring that all client needs and requests are met

• Reviewed resumes, daily/weekly BEOs to determine appropriate staffing levels for set up, buffet functions or plated events while ensuring that budgets are maintained

• Hands-on approach - working manager 

*  Transferred to Restaurant Operations

(Fine) Dining Room Captain, JW Steakhouse, Richmond Marriott,Richmond, VA3/96 to 1/97

• Assisted the restaurant manager in supervising the staff in a hands-on approach ensuring that guests have a wonderful dining experience - led, assisted training, and motivating the dedicated team towards excellence
• Ensured pre and post side work is completed to standard

• Responsible for line checks to ensure food-timing standards are maintained
• Performed at times all line functions including dispatcher, (expeditor) food server, server assistant
• Mastery of wine knowledge & service

*    Hotel has sense been sold twice

*1  First time to TPG mgmt company

*2  Then this year to White Lodging Corp. 

• Supervised the daily operation of the banquet arena to include inspection of set-up of meeting rooms, F&B service, and breakdown of functions, both room sets & F&B, to ensure compliance with SOPs, banquet event orders, safety regulations and procedures; and, to ensure an optimal level of service, quality and hospitality
• Assisted in the initial & on-going training of staff
• Coached & counseled individual staff as needed resolving problems
• Acted as liaison between Catering department and the group contact
• Sought out opportunities to increase revenues, decrease expenses, & maximize departmental productively without compromising guest satisfaction
• Calculated and reviewed the banquet checks ensuring accuracy and presenting check to the event contact for signature to ensure payment
• Monitored the maintenance/sanitation of the banquet areas and equipment to protect hotel's assets and ensure quality service
• Assisted banquet manager in conducting regularly departmental meetings and to provide a regular forum for improving departmental communication
• Assisted with other hotel operations as needed as well as Banquets

*1  Locally owned & managed hotel sold to regional management company

*2  Changed name to Richmond Hotel & Conference Center

*3  Hotel sold to national management company (Columbia Sussex Corporation)

*4  Changed name back to Holiday Inn

*5  Now name changed to Crowne Plaza

• Responsible for all staff on the floor - supervising service received by the guests throughout event/function (often working along side with staff)
• Organized and orchestrated any last minute changes or details to functions 
• Creatively solved "unusual" customer requests
• Assisted with the initial and ongoing training of service staff
• Responsible for maintaining inventory control systems of catering supplies (linens, decor, props, silverware, china, etc.)  and BQT beverage purchasing and par levels

* The catering company has sense been sold to another catering company which incorporated all of its assets & clientale

• Managed the daily operations of the restaurant, room service, bar & lounge, coffee snack c-store
• Ensured compliance with all Hilton food & beverage policies, standards and procedures by training, supervising, & follow-up of staff in a hands-on management style
• Forecasted, implemented, monitored, controlled, and reported on the various outlet budgets with respect to labor costs, food costs, beverage costs, supplies, equipment, etc. in order to maximize revenue and minimize expenses
• Created, recommended, and implemented promotions, displays, buffet presentations and ideas to capture more in-house guests and a larger share of the local market
• Developed and implemented creative strategies to increase revenues and average checks
• Monitored and critiqued food quality and service levels
• Forecasted and scheduled staff according to occupancy levels with daily tracking of payroll and revenue
• Responsible for beverage ordering, storage, & liquor controls
• Monitored all current inventories and produced end of the month inventory reports
• Met with guests on an informal basis during meals or upon departure to obtain feedback on quality of food and beverage, service levels and overall satisfaction
• Assisted with other hotel operations as needed as well as Banquets
• Recruited, hired, & continued training practices to maintain a pipeline of qualified employees to meet the needs of the operation; provide all new employees with proper training on policies & procedures for both front and back-of-house; trained supervisors & assistant managers to successfully handle service issues and intervene when necessary; performed administrative duties to include payroll, scheduling, &inventory; directed marketing and public relations aspects for restaurant & outlet operations; analyzed financial data to build on strengths, support weak areas and note any unusual occurrences & trained shift supervisors in recognizing and influencing their business by understanding financial reports and acting on that knowledge; monitored the profitability of the operation & provided solutions to improve areas of concern by implementing corrective measures
• Assumed MOD responsibilities when assigned                                                                                       

*  Hotel has sense been sold, I believe twice, now a Doubletree

• Mostly consisted of setting-up F&B service tables following Hyatt policies, practices, & standards - including draping tables, setting silverware, folding napkins, preparing drinks, etc., serving and clearing food from tables, breaking down – clearing tables, putting away table compliments, dirty linen, centerpieces, etc
• Set-up creative and professional looking buffets
• Cleaned and organized banquet storerooms
• Followed all guest check and money-handling procedures when serving a la carte and beverage (cash bar) orders
• Explained to guests as requested the menu, major ingredients and preparation methods for each item to be served
• Observed guests' needs without being obtrusive - to anticipate guests' needs

 *  Hotel sold to TPG management company

 *  Hotel has sense been taken over & managed by a local bank

• Started as Office (Exempt Organization Technical Branch, Rulings Group 4) Clerk-typist
• Promoted to Office Secretary, Rulings Group 1
• Detailed to EACS Operator- computer data entry into business master file
• Acting Office Manager
• Acting Office Secretary, Rulings Group 5

former F&B Director, Richmond Marriott West

former F&B Manager, Holiday Inn Hotel, Hampton, VA

former F&B supervisor, Holiday Inn West Broad St., Richmond, VA

former GM, Westwood Club, Richmond, VA